Storage tank



Dec. 3, 1,929. B. s sNow 1,738,213 STORAGE TANK Filed Jan. 3, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 3, 1929. B. s. SNOW 1,738,213

I STORAGE TANK Filed Jan. 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i Wl 79 54 f/I I lun 64 nec. 3, 1929 BARTON S.

SMW, OF W'HEATON, ILLlNOIS, ASSGNR TO T. W. SNOW CONSTRUCTON STGEAJEl-Fii TANK Application filed; January 3. 1928.

My invention relates to tanks for storing( water, as for example for use in the charging; of tenders of locomotives. As to one phase of the invention it relates to the storing of 5 chemically treated Water or muddy Water containing particles in suspension Which gravi tate to the bottom of the tank and which it is desired be removed therefrom from time to time Without emptying the tank; and as to 7-0 another phase of the invention it relates to the manner of introducingl chemically treated, or muddy, Watery into the tank Without rilino1 of the clear Water therein.

Une of my objects is to provide improvements in such tanks to the end that the solid particles therein and gravitated to the bottom of the tank may be removed therefrom with the minimum agitation of the Water to the end that saving of Water Will be effected and m by a construction which is of simple and economical form and not subject to leakage.

Another object is to provide in a storage tank for chemically treated Water and involv- N ing; the mixing of the treating' material with ZD the water at a point adjacent the tank7 for the desired intermixture f the material 'with the Water.

Another object is to provide in a tank wherein solid particles are contained in the Water discharged into the tank, for the introduction. of the Water into the tank With the minimum agitation of the particles which have njravitated to the bottom of the tank and providing1 for the Withdrawal from the tank ofthe clear Water forming the upper portion of the body of the Water Without disturbing the particles at the bottom of the tank; and other objects as will be manifest from the o following description.

Referring to the accompanying' drawings Figure 1 is a View in Vertical sectional eleration of water storage apparatus embodying my improvements. Figure 2 is an enlaroed broken View in sectional elevation of the Valvescontrolled intake portion ofthe appara* tus. Figure 3 is a similar View ofthe conduit through which the sediment may beremoyed from tbe tank; and Figure t? a similar -View Serial No. 24d-,123.

of the mechanism by which a portion of the sedimentremovingl conduit is actuated.

rthe particular illustrated embodiment of my lnvention comprises a main tank portion 5 shown as supported upon a frame-Work 6.

Located below the tank 5 is a vertical housing' shell 7 through which the Water supply pipe 8 extends7 the pipe 8 extending upwardly into the tank adjacent the upper end thereof, as shown.

The pipe 8 leads from any suitable source of Water under pressure and in the particular arrangement shown wherein suitable chemicals are introduced into the Water adjacent to the tank structure to edect the desired treating, as for example, softening.)r thereof, the pipe 8 has associated therewith any suitable apparatus for introducing into the Water in its flow to the tank, the desired proportion of treating;- material. As apparatus for this purpose is well known in the art and commonly used, such an apparatus is illustrated diagrammatically only at 9 in the drawings it beine` suiiicient to state that the apparatus comprises a tank 10 for the treating solution which is in communication, through a pipe 11, with a proportioning` mechanism 12 operated by the flow of Water through the horizontal portion of the conduit 8 to cause the desired proportionate amount of the treating solution to mix with the Water.

The upper end ofthe conduit 8 opens laterally7 as represented at 13, into an inlet 14 in the side of down-take pipe 15 located in the tank 5 and which preferably is of larger diameter' than the pipe 18. The pipe 15 opens at its lower end into the interior of the tank as represented at 16.a the pipe 15 to this end being; shown as reaching short of the bottom of the tank 5 with depending legs 17 on this pipe reachirurv to the bottom of the tank.

Interposed in the conduit 8 at its upper end is Valve mechanism represented generally at 18 for controlling the flow of the chemically treated Water into the tank through the downtake 1V. rlhe Valve mechanism shown is of a type adapted to automatically control the flow of treated water into the tank and is operated responsive to the height of Water in the tanti@ above referred to.

The valve mechanism referred to comprises a valve casing 19 forming a portion of the conduit 8, this casing being provided adjacent the outlet 13 with an annular valve seat 20 with which an annular gasket 21 of flexible material carried on the end of a valve proper 22 slidable in the casing 19, cooperates to controlthe flow of water into the downtake pipe 15. At the rear of the valve seat 20 the easing 19 is cored out to provide an annular channel 23 communicating with the inlet 24 of the easing, the rear end of the casing being of different enlarged internal diameters as represented at 25 and 26, its rear extremity being closed by a cover plate 27.

The valve proper 22, which is a piston valve, contains an opening 28 in its forward end whereby the interior of the valve 22 is in .communication at all times with the outlet 13, and is provided at its opposite end with a partition 29 containing an opening 30 therethrough, preferably annularly tapered as represented at 31, and forming a communication between the interior of the piston valve and the rear end of the casing 19, this valve being provided with an annular, outwardly projecting, flange 32 which extends into the Yrear portion of the casing of larger diameter The internal diameter of the portion 25 of the casing 19 is slightly larger than the exterior diameter of the flange portion 32 of the valve 22 to provide a slight clearance betweenthis flange and the wall ofthe portion 25 of the casing, the flange 32 extending into the portion 25 when the valve 22 isin closed condition.

An auxiliary valve is provided for controlling the opening 30, this valve comprising'a valve proper 33 adapted when in closed position to engage the seat 31 and close communication between the interior of the piston valve 22 and the compartment at the rear of the casing 19. This auxiliary valve also comprises a valve stem 34 to one end of which valve 33 is connected, and a collar85 carriedby the stem 34 vand spaced from the valve 33, the stem-34sliding in a bearing 36 located in, and rigid with, the piston 22 in front of, and spaced from, the partition 29. The outer end of the valve stem 34 extends at a laterally disposed pin '37 thereon into the slotted fork portion 38 of one arm S9 of a bell crank lever the other arm ofwhich is represented at 40. The angle portion of this bell crank lever is shown as located inside of the downtake pipe 15 to which it is pivotally connected by a shaft 41 carried by the pipe 15. The arm 40 of the bell crank extends outwardly through a vertical slot 42 in the wall'of the pipe 15, itsouter extremity being pivotally connected at 43 with a depending float 44 located inside `of the tank 5 and adapted to float upon the waterv in the tank Ywhen the water reaches a certain level, a cable 44a connected with the float 44 limiting the descent of the latter.

The operation of the inlet-controlling apparatus is as follows: Assuming parts of the apparatus to be in the position represented in Figs. 1 and 2 wherein the conduit 8 is closed to the pipe 15, the drawing` of water from the tank causes the float 44 to lower which rocks the bell crank in clockwise direction in these figures and forces the valve stem 94 to the left therein. The initial movement of the stem 84 moves the valve 33 away from the seat 31 thereby permitting the water in the rear end of the casing, and under pressure, to flow through the opening 30, thereby releasing the pressure at the rear side of the valve Continued movement of the stein 84 to the left causes the collar 35 to engage the bearing 36 and thereby bodily shift the valve 22 to the left in these figures to open position in which the water flows from the conduit 8 into the downtake pipe 15. As the water rises in the tank it carries the float 44 upwardly therewith and swings the lever toward the position shown in Fig. 2 the initial movement of this lever closingthe valve 33 against the seat 31, whereupon the valve 22 is forcibly moved by the stem 34 to the ri ght in Fig. 2. As the valve 22 nears closed position, water from the inlet conduit 8 flowing between the valve 22 and the casing 19 and into the rear end of the latter, the valve 22 loosely fitting in the casing` 19, builds up a back pressure therein, this pressure, by reason of the fact that the area exposed by the end of the piston valve 22 and exposed to the water in the rear compartment ol the casing 19 and tending to force this valve to the right in Fig. 2, is greater than the area of the valve 22 exposed inithis compartment to the water therein tending to force it to the left in this ligure, operating to force the valve 22 relatively quickly to its seat, thereby avoiding the subjection of the valve seat and gasket 21 to water flowing therethrough at great velocity with consequent elimination of wire cutting of these parts.

By the provision of the parts of the apparatus as above described, a relatively long course for flow therethrough of the water and the chemical introduced into it, 'is provided with thc advantage that the desired practically complete inter-mixture of the chemical with the water is effected and sufficient time afforded for the desired action of the chemicals on the water by the time the same discharges directly into the tank 5, and furthermore, by providing the pipe 15 of larger diameter than the conduit 8, the velocity of the water passing through the pipe 15 is reduced so that it enters the lower portion of the tank 5 without substantially agitating the contents of the latter whereby the sediment in the tank remains substantially quiescent.

The tank 5 is provided with means for controlling the discharge of the chemically treatlill) It will be readily understood from the toregoing that the solid particles which have gravitated to the bottom of the tank may be removed therefrom to an exceedingly edective degree, by the provision of the movable discharge pipe 54 and without creating undue agitation of the water, with the manifest advantage.

. By the arrangementJ shown and described, the water7 containing'particles, whether precipitates produced by the action ot watertreating chemicals on the water, mud, or other particles, iiows quietly into the body of water in the tank, thereby avoiding agitation of the particles lying at the bottom of the tank, and by drawing the water for use from the upper portion of the body oit water, clear water only isv discharged from the tank and without agitation o1C the gravitated sediment, whereby the mud for separate settling tanks is avoided.

`While I have illustrated and described a particular construction embodying my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modiiied and altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A water storage apparatus comprising a tank for the water, a pipe for removing sediment from said tank, said pipe extending at its inlet adjacent the bottom of the tank and having a depending outlet formed with an outwardly extending swiveling flange, said tank having an outlet portion into which the outlet ot said pipe discharges, and means on the tank and engaging said -flange for swiveling said pipe to said tank for rotation relative to the outlet ot said tank.

2. A water storage apparatus comprising a tank tor the water, a pipe for removing sediment from said tank, said pipe extending substantially horizontally and containing downwardly opening inlet apertures along its length and having a depending outlet formed with an outwardly extending swiveling flange, said tank having an outlet p0rtion into which the outlet ot said pipe discharges, and means on said tank and engaging said flange for swiveling said pipe to said tank for rotation relative to the outlet of said tank.

BARTON S. SNOWV 

